Gospel Centered Mom – A Review

I just finished a new book where I felt like it was written specifically for me! And there’s now underlining and stars (that’s when I really want to remember something) on every page because yes, I’ve dealt with the same issues and have had the same feelings of despair and worries over these hard-to-handle boys I love so dearly but just can’t understand, and to be honest, can’t control? Has anyone else felt this way about a book?

In Gospel Centered Mom, Brooke McGlothlin guides the reader through 10 freeing truths we should strive to embrace as we raise our children. She begins with introducing what she calls a ME Gospel – where we “worship ourselves instead of God, to believe God exists for us instead of us for Him.” And then she continues with reminding us why theology (the study of God) is so important for ALL Christians.

But theology is actually of the utmost importance to everyone — deep-thinker, academic type or not — because what we believe affects what we do, how we behave, and how we treat others. What we believe influences the way we understand ourselves, and, most of all, shapes our understanding of God. (pg. 39)

Amen.

The stories that the author told were sometimes painful and embarrassing – hard but true stories that made me feel sick to my stomach because I’ve felt the same way at times too. And yet they gave me hope to continue doing the hard work of loving my children, even when it’s easier to just give up.

As parents, we tend to view our relationship with our children as an us-versus-them situation. Changing our perspective just slightly and taking the time to learn to fight for our children instead can restore hope, peace, and unity to our homes. (pg. 200)

Each chapter ends with nuggets of truths that I want to put up on the fridge – hard truths that sting, and then beautiful responsive truths that send us back to resting in God. One example, which I’ve especially needed to hear recently :

God isn’t necessarily most concerned with our child’s happiness, health, wealth, freedom, or safety. When we make Jesus our priority, we release to Him the burden of responsibility for our child’s future. (pg. 154)

I can’t wait to recommend this book to other moms – I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review, BUT would buy it for another struggling mom in a heartbeat.